Remote passive wireless sensors or radio frequency identification devices (RFID) have typically primarily consisted of either all semiconductor or of all surface acoustic wave (SAW) components. The major disadvantage of semiconductor-based RFID devices is the high, typically 5 Watt RF power level which the base transceiver must emit to activate the device. Even at such a significant power level, the distance between the base and a remote sensor may be limited to 1 meter or less. The major advantage of semiconductor devices is their flexibility in programming and read/write memory capabilities. SAW sensors have somewhat opposite characteristics. Their major advantage is that they only require typically 5 mW of RF power to communicate 1 meter. Their disadvantages are that they currently have neither programming flexibility nor any write memory capabilities nor any read/write memory.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a hybrid communication system which maximizes the advantages and minimizes the disadvantages of both semiconductor and SAW components.